Numismatic coin or medal display case

ABSTRACT

A coin or medal display case embodies an annular frame having on its bottom face a flat ring of pressure sensitive adhesive for sealing attachment to an air-impervious support sheet such as an album page to seal the bottom of the frame; and a transparent cover attachable to the frame to seal it at the top and to provide a viewing window. Resilient fingers, formed integrally with the inner periphery of the frame, spiral inwardly to yieldingly engage a coin periphery to position it beneath the window.

ll'ited States Patent Kramer Jan.18,11972 N UMISMATIC COIN OR MEDAL DISPLAY CASE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 19,560 11/1913 Great Britain ..206/80R 416,587 9/1934 Great Britain ..206/80R Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney-Lynn H. Latta [57] ABSTRACT A coin or medal display case embodies an annular frame having on its bottom face a flat ring of pressure sensitive adhesive for sealing attachment to an air-impervious support sheet such as an album page to seal the bottom of the frame; and a transparent cover attachable to the frame to seal it at the top and to provide a viewing window. Resilient fingers, formed integrally with the inner periphery of the frame, spiral inwardly to yieldingly engage a coin periphery to position it beneath the window.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures mammmmz lesslsss IN VENTOR.

Jose A. A PAMEE NUMISMATIC COIN OR MEDAL DISPLAY CASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Coin collectors, almost without exception, utilize containers of display cases of one type or another for holding the coins of their collections in a selected arrangement. Such cases are commonly in the form of flat envelopes of inexpensive transparent film often compartmented, each adapted to hold a few coins. Commonly they are bound together as the pages of an album. In some instances, an individual case is provided for each coin. Such cases may be mounted on panels or sheets (e.g., album pages). In most instances, the containers become dulled and less transparent by abrasion from handling. Difiicultyis usually experienced also in the gradual tarnishing of coinsby air seeping into the case. A very substantial loss of value, as high as 50 percent in some cases, can occur as the result of tarnishing, pitting'or abrasion. Protection of valuable specimen coins from such deterioration is therefore quite important to coin collectors. Such protection is also important for medals.

Prior U.S. Pat. to Honza, No. 2,389,312, discloses a transparent case having a radial flange cemented to a supporting surface. Such a case can not be detached and replaced. Prior Fat. to Ensley, No. 2,434,553, discloses a coin case embodying a transparent cover which is threaded onto a supporting base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a case for valuable disks such as coins, medals and the like, embodying a frame adapted to encircle such a disk and having a plurality of internal resilient fingers to engage the rim of the disk and to center it; a ring of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the bottom' face of the frame, for attachment and hermetic sealing to a supporting panel; and a transparent cap attachable to the frame to close it hermetically, the cap having an annular bead raised above its face, to prevent abrasion of its face by contact with external surfaces such as the back of another supporting panel or album page.

The object of the invention is to provide a coin holding case combining the following desirable characteristics:

1. Transparent, for display. of a specimen disk;

2. Easily mounted on a supporting panel or album page for displaying several disks side by side;

3. Readily removable from the panel;

4. Adapted to hermetically seal a disk to preserve it from tarnishing;

5. Readily opened and reclosed for removal or replacement of its contained disk;

6. Having means to protect its display face from abrasive contact with objects such as another coin-holding panel or album page;

7. Having means for positioning any coin in a range of a large number of sizes (e.g., up to 50) of disks in the same case, whereby cases of just a few sizes can be utilized for displaying coins of all sizes.

8. Operable to position disks of irregular peripheral contour as well as circular disks.

DESCRIPTION These and other objects will become apparent in the following specification and appended drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an album page with a number of coin cases of my invention assembled thereon;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on line 22 of FIG. 3, of one of the cases and a portion of the album page to which it is adhered;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same with the cover removed;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view which is a further enlargement of the leftward portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is u sectional view of the case frame with cover removed, taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the cover.

LII

Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown therein. as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a disk display case comprising an annular frame A mounted on a support panel or sheet B which may be a leaf of a coin album, and which functions as the bottom of the case, and a transparent cover D adapted to be coupled to the frame A so as to hermetically seal a disk C within the case while displaying the disk in full view of an observer.

Support panel or sheet B is of .air impervious material, preferably transparent so as to allow inspection of the coin through the panel. It can be of sheet metal, though preferably of sheet plastic material having some flexibility, especially when used as an album leaf. 1

Frame A comprises a rim [0 consisting of an open-bottom collar which may be in the form of a short cylinder, as shown, with a flat radial bottom face coated with a flat ring of pressure-sensitive adhesive 11; and a plurality (preferably three or more) of inwardly spiralling resilientfingers 12 having free inward extremities provided with coin-holder tips of L-section each including a pressure pad 13 and a flat seat 14 projecting radially inwardly from the bottom of the respective pad and resting on thesupport panel or sheet' B. A disk C, when inserted in the case, is fitted between the several pads 13, which are spaced equidistantly around a common circumference, and its rim is rested on the several seats 14. Thus it is supported above and, out of contact with the panel B, free of any possible rubbing contact therewith. The fingers 12 are of uniform resiliency (e.g., by being of symmetrical and equal contour and dimensions) and consequently they will engage the rim of disk C with a centering action which will be effective on disks of varying diameters ranging downwardly from a maximum equivalent to the internal diameter of rim 10 less double the thickness of a pad 13, down to a selected minimum. Coins of up to 50 different'diameters can be positioned in the same case. The root (outer) ends of fingers 12 are substantially tangent to and integral with the cylindrical internal surface of rim 10 adjacent the bottom thereof. The external surface of rim 10 is provided with screw threads 15 for coupling the cap D to the frame. On the top of the rim 10 is an axially projecting sealing lip 16.

Cap D comprises a window disk 20 which is transparent so as to function as a viewing window, a cylindrical rim 21 having internal threads 22 to mate with threads 15, and a semitoroidal bead 23 which is arched in radial section to receive the lip 16 snugly, with an hermetic sealing action. Externally, the bead 23 projects above the window disk 20 so as to protect it from rubbing contact with a superimposed coin support panel or album leaf or other external object. Thus the obscuring effect of abrasive action of the window 20 from such rubbing contact, is avoided, and the window is preserved from gradually becoming opaque or less transparent.

The cap D and frame A are preferably of molded plastic material of sufficient stiffness to be form retaining, yet sufficiently soft, flexible and resilient to easily develop a sealing action between cover D and frame A when the cover is screwed down tightly on frame A. Its resiliency is such as to allow easy spreading of fingers 12 to receive a coin of maximum diameter, and to have the fingers spring inwardly to engage the rim of a coin of any lesser diameter down to minimum size, with sufficient spring loading to effect an automatic centering action.

The adhesive 11 is such as to seal the frame A to the air-impermeable sheet B. With the cap D sealed to the frame B and the latter sealed to support sheet B, an hermetically sealed enclosure is provided, which preserves the coin C from tarnishing. The adhesive also is of a quality such that the case A, D can readily be detached and moved in order .to accommodate a rearrangement of coins on the support sheet if desired.

The coin cases are initially mounted on a sheet 55 of backing film or waxed paper (FIG. 5) which preserves the tackiness of the adhesive 11 until the case is used. It is then removed from the sheet 55 by stripping the latter from its adhesive face, and the exposed adhesive is then pressed against the mount panel or album page B.

The fingers 12 are effective in positioning disks (e.g., ancient coins) of irregular peripheral contour as well as circular disks.

lclaim:

l. A numismatic display and preserving case for coins and other valuable disks, for attachment to a support surface comprising:

an annular frame in the form of an open-bottom collar having a flat bottom face of ring form;

a flat ring of pressure-sensitive adhesive on said bottom face, for attachment of said frame to said support surface so as to seal the bottom of said frame, said adhesive ring having a radial width no greater than the wall thickness of said collar;

and a cover having means for attaching and sealing it to the top of said frame to provide an hermetically sealed disk preserving chamber;

said cover including a transparent window portion for viewing the disk in said chamber.

2. A numismatic case as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame is provided interiorly thereof with means for holding a disk in a viewing position therein, said means being radially yieldable for adjustment to disks of varying diameters.

3. A numismatic case as defined in claim 2, said holding means comprising a plurality of resilient fingers spiralling inwardly from the inner periphery of said annular periphery and resiliently engageable with the periphery of the disk in said chamber with a centering action.

4. A numismatic case as defined in claim 1, said cover being in the form of a cap having a rim with internal threads for mating engagement with male threads which are provided on the periphery of said frame.

5. A numismatic case as defined in claim 1, said cap having an annular bead raised above the surface of said window por tion to protect it from abrasive contact with an external object.

6. A numismatic case as defined in claim 5, said bead being of arched radial cross section so as to define an internal groove;

said frame having a radially projecting seal lip received in said groove so as to seal said cover to said frame.

7. A numismatic case as defined in claim 6, said cover being in the form of a cap having a rim with internal threads for mating engagement with male threads which are provided on the periphery of said frame.

8. A numismatic case, as defined in claim I, in combination with a sheet of air-impervious material providing said support surface.

9. A numismatic display and preserving case for coins and other valuable disks, comprising:

a frame including a rim of collar form;

means for attaching said frame to a support surface;

a cover having means for attaching and sealing it to the top of said frame to provide an hermetically sealed diskpreserving chamber having an annular periphery;

said cover including a transparent window portion for viewing the disk in said chamber;

and means within said rim for holding a disk in a viewing position in said frame;

said holding means comprising a plurality of resilient fingers spiralling inwardly from the inner periphery of said annular periphery and resiliently engageable with the periphery of the disk in said chamber with a centering action.

10. A numismatic case as defined in claim 9;

said fingers having free inner extremities provided with tips of L-section radially, said tips including pads engageable with the disk periphery and seats projecting radially inwardly from their lower extremities, said seats cooperatively engaging beneath the rim of the disk to support the same.

i i t i 

1. A numismatic display and preserving case for coins and other valuable disks, for attachment to a support surface comprising: an annular frame in the form of an open-bottom collar having a flat bottom face of ring form; a flat ring of pressure-sensitive adhesive on said bottom face, for attachment of said frame to said support surface so as to seal the bottom of said frame, said adhesive ring having a radial width no greater than the wall thickness of said collar; and a cover having means for attaching and sealing it to the top of said frame to provide an hermetically sealed disk preserving chamber; said cover including a transparent window portion for viewing the disk in said chamber.
 2. A numismatic case as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame is provided interiorly thereof with means for holding a disk in a viewing position therein, said means being radially yieldable for adjustment to disks of varying diameters.
 3. A numismatic case as defined in claim 2, said holding means comprising a plurality of resilient fingers spiralling inwardly from the inner periphery of said annular periphery and resiliently engageable with the periphery of the disk in said chamber with a centering action.
 4. A numismatic case as defined in claim 1, said cover being in the form of a cap having a rim with internal threads for mating engagement with male threads which are provided on the periphery of said frame.
 5. A numismatic case as defined in claim 1, said cap having an annular bead raised above the surface of said window portion to protect it from abrasive contact with an external object.
 6. A numismatic case as defined in claim 5, said bead being of arched radial cross section so as to define an internal groove; said frame having a radially projecting seal lip received in said groove so as to seal said cover to said frame.
 7. A numismatic case as defined in claim 6, said cover being in the form of a cap having a rim with internal threads for mating engagement with male threads which are provided on the periphery of said frame.
 8. A numismatic case, as defined in claim 1, in combination with a sheet of air-impervious material providing said support surface.
 9. A numismatic display and preserving case for coins and other valuable disks, comprising: a frame including a rim of collar form; means for attaching said frame to a support surface; a cover having means for attaching and sealing it to the top of said frame to provide an hermetically sealed disk-preserving chamber having an annular periphery; said cover including a transparent window portion for viewing the disk in said chamber; and means within said rim for holding a disk in a Viewing position in said frame; said holding means comprising a plurality of resilient fingers spiralling inwardly from the inner periphery of said annular periphery and resiliently engageable with the periphery of the disk in said chamber with a centering action.
 10. A numismatic case as defined in claim 9; said fingers having free inner extremities provided with tips of L-section radially, said tips including pads engageable with the disk periphery and seats projecting radially inwardly from their lower extremities, said seats cooperatively engaging beneath the rim of the disk to support the same. 